[Note: The excerpt below is from James F. Marran, emeritus chairman ofthe social studies department at New Trier High School in Winnetka,Ill., and was reprinted with permission from Marran and Education Week(vol.17, no. 1,3 September 1997).]

Every teacher education program in every college and university shouldcreate a course called

"Other," where the syllabus will examine the axioms of what all presentprograms forget to tell teacher candidates. These are what every newteacher learns in that first tedious and traumatic year where, in thebest of circumstances, the excitement, engagement, passion, andchallenge of learning the traditions of teaching unfold. In the"Other" course, teachers would learn:

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That a teacher cannotbe all things to all people.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That they are not "badpeople" if they are not always able to meet all the needs of all their students.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That they are powerfuland compelling figures in the lives of their students.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That in recallingtheir school years, students mostly remember their teachers, not thecourses they

took.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That they need to finda "critical friend" whom they can trust to serve as their soundingboard.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That at times studentscan be very cruel, difficult, and mean-spirited.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That it is a mistaketo personalize a student's unacceptable behavior.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That teachers lovetheir students as their parents love them--but in a different way andfor a

different reason.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That few people willever appropriate the amount of time and effort teachers give to theirteaching.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That by choosing to beteachers, they have entered an emotionally dangerous profession.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That they are bothrole models and change agents.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That they need to payattention to both their physical and their emotional well-being.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That teaching is notlike inducing a chemical reaction, but more like creating a painting,or planting

a garden, or writing a friendly letter.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That teaching is acomplicated business because students are such unexpected blends ofcharacter,

personality, and background.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That most of thesignificant advances in civilization have been the result of the workof teachers.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That teaching is anact of faith in the promise of the future.

<fontfamily><param>Symbol</param>Â </fontfamily> That teaching is a wayof life.